# In the Air and in the Water *The Stable, Mounts, Barding, and Mounted Combat for Exodus NDS. Source: https://exodusnds.com/sourcebooks/the-stable/in-the-air-and-in-the-water* ## Elevation A flying mount is at one of three elevations above the ground. | Elevation | Height | From the ground it is | |:--|:--|:--| | **Low** | Rooftops and treetops | Short range, straight up | | **Medium** | A bowshot | Medium range | | **High** | Above the clouds on a low day | Long range | Changing elevation by one step is a maneuver. Horizontal range bands work as on the ground. A target below at a different elevation is at the farther of the two distances. **Taking off** is a maneuver and needs room: a clear run of Short range, or a drop. **Landing** is a maneuver. Landing in a space tighter than the mount's wings is an Average Riding check. **A flyer must keep moving.** A flyer that does not move in a round descends one elevation, unless it has **Hover**. **Weather.** Strong wind adds 1 Bane Die to Riding checks in the air, and a storm adds 2. Most flyers refuse a storm. ## The Stoop A flyer with **Stoop** that descends at least one elevation and then attacks in the same turn adds 1 Boon Die and 2 damage to its own attack, or its rider's. It is the charge of the air and follows the same limits: not in two turns running. A flyer without Stoop may still dive. It gains nothing from it. ## Fighting in the Air - Mounted combat works as in Chapter 4. - A rider without a **flight harness** makes an Easy Riding check at the start of each turn the mount climbed, dived, or was hit. On a failure the rider falls. - A flyer whose Wounds exceed half its Wound Points must land: it descends one elevation a round until it does. - A flyer that is incapacitated falls, with its rider if the rider is strapped in. ### Falling | Fall from | Damage | |:--|:--| | Low | 6, and a Critical Injury | | Medium | 12, and a Critical Injury at +20 | | High | 20, and a Critical Injury at +40 | Damage is reduced by Resistance. A rider strapped to a falling mount takes the damage of one elevation lower, since the wings slow it. Falling into deep water reduces the damage by half. A falling rider has one round for each elevation above Low before hitting the ground. That is time for someone on another mount to try a catch: a Hard Riding check to get there and a Hard Athletics check to hold on. ## Depth A swimming mount is at one of three depths. | Depth | What it means | |:--|:--| | **Surface** | The rider's head is in the air | | **Shallows** | Light from above. A diver's depth | | **Deep** | Dark and cold. Nothing from the surface sees or reaches it | Changing depth by one step is a maneuver. ### Breath A rider under water holds breath for a number of rounds equal to Might plus Fortitude ranks. Each round after that takes an Average Fortitude check, one step harder each round. On a failure the rider suffers 3 Strain, and 3 Wounds once Strain is full. A **Surface Rider** mount brings its rider up for air whenever it is not told to stay down. ### Fighting in the Water - Weapons that swing add 2 Bane Dice under water. Thrusting weapons, and anything fired by a spring or a band, add none. Bows and powder do not work. - A rider without a **water saddle** makes an Easy Riding check at the start of each turn the mount dived, turned hard, or was hit, or is left behind. - **Armour.** A rider in armour of Encumbrance 4 or more who leaves the saddle sinks one depth a round. Getting out of armour under water is an action for each point of its Encumbrance. A swimmer whose Wounds exceed half its Wound Points makes for the shallows or the shore. ## Dragons A wyvern is an animal. A dragon is not. In most worlds a true dragon is a person: older than the kingdom, cleverer than its visitors, and under no obligation to anyone. It is not bought, broken, or trained, and it has no entry in this book. **A dragon that chooses to carry someone** is an ally with its own mind. Use its profile from the Universe's bestiary and these rules. - The dragon acts on its own turn and makes its own decisions. The rider makes no Riding checks and gives no orders. The rider may ask. - The rider is a passenger with a view: mounted combat rules apply to the rider's attacks, and the rider needs a harness to stay on. - What the dragon wants in return is the adventure. A Universe whose dragons are beasts may give its young dragons a mount entry of their own, using the Wyvern as the model. A hidden cove